New round of CQC reports highlights variations in care quality

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published the latest reports from its new acute hospital inspection programme, highlighting variations in care standards across the four trusts it assessed.

Strong praise was given to the Salford Royal and Royal Surrey County Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts for their high management standards, engaged workforce, efficient services and positive working culture.

However, inspectors noted a number of areas of concern at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch NHS Foundation Trust and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, with a number of their key functions and services found to be inadequate.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, chief inspector of hospitals, said: "I want hospitals to learn from each other to help them improve their services and we will continue to highlight good practice where we find it."

These reports came as a result of a new system of inspections recently implemented by the CQC. Assessments were carried out by teams that included doctors, nurses, hospital managers, trained members of the public, CQC inspectors and analysts.

They carried out a mixture of announced and unannounced inspections, held focus groups with staff and organised a public listening event.